Humanity Must End the Arms Race Before the Arms Race Ends Humanity

 Statement by Religions for Peace

On the Occasion of the General Debate of the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Delivered by Reverend Masamichi Kamiya – Special Advisor to the Secretary General of Religions for Peace Asia

May 1, 2026

President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

On behalf of Religions for Peace, I would like to express our appreciation for the opportunity to address this Review Conference. Religions for Peace is a global interfaith movement, bringing together representatives of the world’s major religious traditions, united in a shared commitment to peace, justice, and the flourishing of all humans in the earth and its web of life.

Despite our greatest efforts for the last 80 years, we are still living in a world where that basic right is at risk. Nuclear weapons remain – silent, powerful, and ever present a danger to human survival.  The suffering witnessed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki remains a stark and enduring warning of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. In today’s context, the consequences would likely be far more widespread and severe in the event of accident, miscalculation, or deliberate use.

Across all different faiths and traditions, we affirm that a society founded on the principles of might and destruction cannot be just and inclusive. The possession of nuclear weapons, and the policies that sustain them, are in fact in direct contradiction to the moral foundations of human dignity.

At the same time, we recognize that the path to the total elimination of nuclear weapons is complex and requires sustained steps, with trust at its center. In this regard, we underscore that nuclear risk reduction is not an alternative to disarmament, but an ethical and political imperative in its own right.

States must take steps to end their reliance on nuclear weapons as a security doctrine; enhance transparency and communication to avoid accidents; and pursue policies that would result in the reduction of nuclear risks.

Excellencies,

The road ahead of us is clear: we must double our efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The consequences of any use of nuclear weapons would extend far beyond the present generation.

At Religions for Peace, we are gravely concerned by the efforts to undermine multilateralism, globally based rule of law and international humanitarian law. With the advent of AI and the risk in global conflicts it creates, it is critical that we strengthen frameworks that create more resilience to the multilateral processes.

We believe that the international community has the capacity and responsibility to reverse current trends and to build a future grounded in peace, justice, and shared security. Humanity must end the arms race before the arms race ends humanity. Religious communities around the world continue to support efforts to remove the threat of nuclear weapons now and in the future.

I thank you.

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